Monferno Movesets & Competitive Sets

Moves U-turn generates momentum and helps Monferno against switches it forces against opposing Pokemon such as Bronzor, Silvally-Dark, and Bouffalant. Slack Off is an option over Close Combat or Flare Blitz that allows Monferno to reliably pivot into threats such as Pawniard and Cacturne. Set Details Eviolite gives Monferno decent bulk and enables it to soft check threats such as Pawniard, Glaceon, and defensive Komala. An Adamant nature is used over Jolly because Monferno appreciates the power more than outspeeding niche threats such as Butterfree, enabling it to OHKO foes such as Rapidash after Stealth Rock. Usage Tips Against opposing leads such as Golem and Torterra that can tank an attack and threaten to OHKO Monferno back, use U-turn to chip away at them and generate momentum. Avoid setting up Stealth Rock against incoming Defoggers that outspeed Monferno such as Swanna, Silvally-Dragon, and offensive Silvally-Water. Instead, predict them and use U-turn to get a teammate in safely. If Monferno does not have a good matchup as a lead, it can always set Stealth Rock later. Thus, take advantage of switches Monferno forces against Normal-, Steel-, and Grass-types such as Bouffalant, Mawile, and Exeggutor. While Monferno soft checks Dark- and Grass-types such as Pawniard, Cacturne, and Leafeon, it lacks recovery and is easily worn down. Pawniard and Leafeon can also remove Monferno's Eviolite with Knock Off, so avoid switching it into these Pokemon early-game to preserve Monferno's bulk. Similarly, be mindful that bulky Pokemon such as Lickilicky, Mawile, and Bronzor can cripple Monferno with Toxic on a predicted switch, so be careful of switching it into these Pokemon if you rely on it to check other threats or set Stealth Rock over the course of a game. That being said, when Monferno is weakened into Blaze range, Flare Blitz becomes ridiculously powerful, so be sure to position Monferno correctly to take advantage of that one-time nuke. Team Options Monferno fits best on offensive and balance teams that want an offensive Stealth Rock user that can provide momentum. Wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Beheeyem, Swords Dance Torterra, and Nasty Plot Raichu take advantage of Stealth Rock and capitalize on Monferno's U-turn pivoting. In particular, Beheeyem and Torterra appreciate Monferno's ability to check Bronzor and Exeggutor, while Raichu threatens Monferno's switch-ins such as Swanna and Rotom-S. Additional pivots such as Silvally-Dragon, Rotom-S, and Choice Scarf Electivire help keep up momentum and check Pokemon Monferno does not handle such as Altaria, Poliwrath, and Mareanie. Offensive Grass- and Water-types such as mixed Simisage, Leafeon, and Swanna check Ground-types such as Silvally-Ground and Sandslash for Monferno and can also prevent them from removing Stealth Rock. Pawniard and Silvally-Dark take advantage of Monferno's pivoting and are able to Pursuit trap Psychic-types such as Beheeyem and Kadabra that threaten Monferno.

Moves Nasty Plot allows Monferno to overcome would-be checks to physical Monferno sets, such as Altaria, Stunfisk, and Huntail. Fire Blast is Monferno's primary STAB option, nailing Grass-types such as Leafeon and Tangela and Steel-types such as Bronzor and Mawile while being its overall most reliable option against neutral targets such as Crustle, Muk, and Stunfisk. Focus Blast breaks through Audino and is Monferno’s strongest attack against other Normal-types such as Stoutland and Bouffalant, as well as against Probopass, Rotom-F, and Ninetales. Hidden Power Ice nails Dragon-types such as Gabite and Altaria and rounds out Monferno's coverage. Vacuum Wave is another Fighting-type option over Focus Blast that hits Pokemon such as Rotom-F before they can attack, but Monferno without Focus Blast fails to break Pokemon such as the aforementioned Encore Audino and Assault Vest Bouffalant. Set Details Life Orb increases Monferno's overall damage output, most notably when utilized alongside a Modest nature, which nearly guarantees Hidden Power Ice to OHKO Altaria after Stealth Rock damage. However, Eviolite grants Monferno more opportunities to set up with Nasty Plot and sweep, and Monferno can outspeed more threats such as Modest Misdreavus when running a Timid nature. Usage Tips All four of Nasty Plot Monferno's moves are unique to this set. Once any of Monferno's moves have been revealed, the opponent will begin to backpedal and rethink their entire gameplan. Therefore, choosing to not bring out Monferno until the most opportune time to set up with Nasty Plot provides the biggest surprise factor. If unrevealed, Nasty Plot Monferno is able to force out the opponent's physical Monferno answer, set up on the switch, and make the opponent sacrifice something to regain momentum. Compared to Flare Blitz and Close Combat on Monferno's more traditional set, Fire Blast and Focus Blast have much worse accuracy and less total PP to work with. Therefore, it is crucial against more defensively oriented teams to predict when the foe is staying in, switching out, or using Protect. Against more offensive teams, Nasty Plot Monferno doesn't have as great of a matchup, so you can afford to play it a bit more aggressively, not caring if it is prematurely taken out or not. Team Options Teammates that appreciate walls such as Avalugg, Stunfisk, Bronzor, and Altaria being lured in and removed, such as Dodrio and Golem, enjoy Nasty Plot Monferno breaking down their checks for them. Pokemon such as Assault Vest Bouffalant, Zebstrika, and Hidden Power Electric variants of Floatzel can help remove or severely cripple Nasty Plot Monferno's biggest checks such as Grumpig, Pelipper, and Swanna, which can prevent Monferno from having its Nasty Plot sweep stopped abruptly. Similarly, teammates such as Leafeon that can take on common priority users like Aqua Jet Floatzel are also greatly appreciated, as Monferno's poor bulk leaves it weak to priority moves. Entry hazard setters such as Mawile, Crustle, and Roselia can help chip away at the opposition's health, which allows Monferno to more reliably sweep through the opposing team late-game. Mr. Mime is a fantastic team option, as it provides Monferno with a Psychic resistance and a second chance to set up and sweep again with Healing Wish.

Moves Close Combat is Monferno's strongest and most spammable STAB move, whereas Flare Blitz is just as strong and can hit most Pokemon that resist Fighting, but it is harder to spam due to recoil. U-turn provides momentum on predicted switches to checks such as Grumpig and Altaria. The last slot is mostly a filler; Mach Punch can revenge kill priority users and Speed-boosting Pokemon such as Pawniard and Sand Rush Stoutland, whereas Rock Slide allows Monferno to revenge kill Altaria while doing more damage to Swanna. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs, a Jolly nature, and Choice Scarf allow Monferno to outspeed and revenge kill almost every unboosted Pokemon along with certain Speed boosters, such as Regice, and maximum Attack investment increases its power as much as possible. Blaze notably increases the power of Flare Blitz, though Monferno will most likely KO itself with recoil if in Blaze range. Iron Fist can be used with Mach Punch to allow Monferno to almost always OHKO Pawniard with Mach Punch after Stealth Rock. Usage Tips Monferno should act as a revenge killer, as it can outspeed and KO most unboosted Pokemon, such as Zebstrika and Floatzel, or as a cleaner late-game when the opposing team has been weakened. Be careful when locking Monferno into a move, as Pokemon that resist that move can take advantage of it, such as Arbok, which can set up on Close Combat. U-turn is Monferno's main move early- and mid-game, when the opponent has healthy checks, so that Monferno can get momentum, though you should be wary of Stunfisk because it can paralyze Monferno with Static. Try not to reveal Choice Scarf early unless necessary, as Monferno can bait faster Pokemon such as Dodrio and Zebstrika that come in and try to revenge kill it. Though Monferno's typing allows it to counter Pokemon such as Pawniard, it should not be switched in if its speed and power will be required later in the game. Additionally, Monferno is put in KO range of +2 Pawniard's Sucker Punch if it takes a hit, which is problematic if it isn't running Mach Punch. Team Options Monferno fits best on offensive teams that can support it by pressuring its checks and need a fast revenge killer. Pursuit trappers such as Murkrow, Bouffalant, and Metang are appreciated, as they can remove Psychic- and sometimes Ghost-types, making it easier for Monferno to spam Close Combat, and they can easily come in on targets thanks to Monferno's U-turn. VoltTurn partners, such as Ninjask and Zebstrika, work great because they can pressure and weaken Monferno's checks and provide it with opportunities to switch in. Entry hazards from Pokemon such as Golem and Roselia also help weaken Monferno's checks, as taking both entry hazard and U-turn damage prevents checks from switching too many times. Pokemon that can punish or bait and weaken Stunfisk, such as Rotom-F and Earthquake Metang, are great partners, as Stunfisk is the only Pokemon Monferno does not want to attack. Wallbreakers such as Leafeon and Stoutland can weaken opposing physically bulky walls in order for Monferno to clean late-game. Cryogonal is also a nice teammate, as it can weaken Water-types with Freeze-Dry and remove entry hazards, which helps Monferno stay healthy.

Moves Swords Dance doubles Monferno's Attack, letting it function as a sweeper. Close Combat is a strong and reliable STAB option that severely damages anything that doesn't resist it, but it comes at the cost of lowered defenses. Monferno's STAB Flare Blitz hits a large portion of the tier for heavy damage, but its recoil can be detrimental to Monferno's longevity. While less powerful than Flare Blitz, an Iron Fist-boosted Fire Punch can be used over Flare Blitz to preserve Monferno, as the recoil from both Flare Blitz and Life Orb has the potential to end its sweep prematurely. Mach Punch is a priority move boosted by Iron Fist that allows Monferno to deal with faster threats. Set Details Its EV spread and nature maximize Monferno's Attack, while the given Speed lets Monferno outspeed neutral-natured base 80s. A Jolly nature is optional and lets Monferno outspeed Timid Grumpig, Modest Articuno, Glalie, positive-natured base 80s like Jolly Stoutland, and Klang after a Shift Gear. Iron Fist is Monferno's ability of choice and boosts the power of Mach Punch. Life Orb further boosts its power, while the bulk from Eviolite allows it to set up with Swords Dance more reliably. Usage Tips Monferno should set up with Swords Dance mid- to late-game once faster Pokemon that can check it have been dispatched or put in range of Monferno's Mach Punch, like Mr. Mime. Monferno can use Swords Dance on the turn it forces out a threat it beats, like Pawniard or Mightyena. Pokemon like Grumpig, Stunfisk, and Altaria need to be weakened significantly before attempting a sweep. Monferno should switch out of faster Pokemon with priority, like Floatzel and Basculin given their ability to OHKO Monferno with Aqua Jet. A Life Orb-boosted Mach Punch can be used to pick off faster threats after some prior damage, like Rock Polish Regice, Sand Rush Stoutland, and Choice Scarf Sawsbuck. Team Options Strong Pursuit trappers like Murkrow, Stoutland, Dodrio, and Metang are all useful for beating Psychic-types for Monferno so that it can sweep mid- to late-game with its Mach Punch. Stealth Rock users that can weaken opposing teams for Monferno to clean make for ideal partners; Steel-types like Probopass and Metang are especially effective for this, as Probopass gives Monferno a free switch with its slow Volt Switch, while Metang can Pursuit trap weaker Psychic-types that can stop a Monferno sweep like Kadabra. Hyper offensive leads with access to entry hazards are able to pressure foes to the point Monferno can clean with a Life Orb-boosted Mach Punch, like Golem, Glalie, and Venipede. Monferno's bulk with a Life Orb is lackluster, and therefore it enjoys Defog or Rapid Spin support to keep opposing entry hazards at bay. Vibrava is able to switch into Stunfisk, one of Monferno's checks, and Defog reliably, while Lumineon is able to switch into Water-types that threaten Monferno and Defog afterward. Fast Electric-types like Zebstrika and Choice Scarf Rotom-F are ideal partners, as they check threats to Monferno like Floatzel and Altaria. Finally, Sticky Web support from Leavanny is useful, as this allows Monferno to outspeed faster, grounded threats, which would check Monferno otherwise.

Moves Close Combat is Monferno's hardest-hitting Fighting-type STAB attack and does considerable damage to the Pokemon that don't resist it, at the cost of a drop in both Special Defense and Defense, and scores OHKOs on Pokemon like Stoutland and Bouffalant after Stealth Rock damage. Flare Blitz is Monferno's most powerful physical Fire-type move, but the recoil can wear Monferno down quickly. Mach Punch provides Monferno with priority, letting it finish off faster, weakened Pokemon or slower Pokemon with access to priority like Pawniard. U-turn enables Monferno to pick up momentum for its teammates and severely damage Psychic-type switch-ins like Grumpig. Stealth Rock is a final option that can be used in the last slot over U-turn to wear down switch-ins over the course of a match. Set Details Eviolite boosts Monferno's bulk and allows it to check physical attackers like Pawniard and Mightyena more reliably, while Life Orb boosts Monferno's damage output at the cost of some bulk. Maximum investment in Attack with an Adamant nature lets Monferno hit as hard as possible, while 252 Speed EVs allow Monferno to outspeed neutral-natured base 80s such as Stoutland, Altaria, and Arbok. Using a Jolly nature is optional and lets Monferno U-turn on Timid Grumpig before being hit by Psychic. Iron Fist boosts the power of Mach Punch by 20%. Usage Tips Monferno can be used at any point in a match, whether it be early-game to beat anti-leads like offensive Quilladin and Bullet Seed Leafeon, mid-game to take threats down with its powerful dual STAB attacks, or late-game to clean up with Mach Punch. Monferno's unique Speed tier can be used to revenge kill powerful wallbreakers like Adamant Stoutland with its STAB Close Combat. All-out attacker Monferno should use U-turn against predicted Altaria and Grumpig switch-ins and switch out to Pokemon that can handle these threats appropriately. Even with Eviolite, Monferno lacks the bulk to continually switch into strong attacks, meaning it will be worn down quickly over the course of a match. Monferno can be switched into Pokemon like Pawniard and Leafeon; however, it dislikes losing its Eviolite to Knock Off. Team Options Pursuit trappers like Bouffalant and Metang are able to switch into and trap faster Psychic-types like Mr. Mime and Kadabra for Monferno, letting it clean late-game with Mach Punch uninhibited. Offensively, Monferno partners well with offensive Ice-types like Cryogonal, Regice, and Rotom-F that can whittle down its checks and counters, like Stunfisk, Vullaby, and Altaria. Monferno appreciates entry hazard setters that are able to weaken opposing teams to the point it can clean with Mach Punch, making Pokemon with access to Spikes like Quilladin and Roselia ideal partners. At the same time, they are able to use Stunfisk that may switch into Monferno as setup fodder for Spikes or wear it down with their respective Grass-type moves. Stealth Rock setters like Golem on offensive teams and Metang and Relicanth on balanced teams are adept at wearing down foes for Monferno. Given that it can be worn down easily over the course of a match, Mr. Mime's Healing Wish can be used to revive Monferno. Fast Electric-types like Electabuzz and Zebstrika are also able to form momentum cores with Monferno, and they can check the offensive Water-types that beat Monferno, as well as Flying-types like Altaria and Jumpluff. Pokemon that can switch into offensive Water-types like Basculin and Floatzel are useful for preserving Monferno, meaning bulky Grass-types and Pokemon with immunities to Water-type attacks like Politoed are excellent partners.

Swords Dance takes advantage of Monferno's ability to force switches and boosts its power level sky high, allowing it to crush defensive staples like Beheeyem, Tentacool, and Stunfisk after one round of Stealth Rock damage, though it needs to be wary of Static from the latter. Fire Punch has significantly lower power than Flare Blitz but lacks recoil, making it a potentially useful option, especially for Life Orb sets. Mach Punch functions as a great anti-offense tool, knocking out Zebstrika and Dodrio with slight chip after a Swords Dance. Thunder Punch, on the other hand, allows Monferno to KO Frillish and Mantine. Swords Dance Monferno appreciates entry hazard support from Pokemon like Maractus, Stunfisk, Torterra, and Bronzor in order to ensure it gets the KOs it needs. Stunfisk works as a good Pokemon that resists Flying and Maractus or Torterra can also set up hazards while helping to check Water- and Ground-types.

Even without a boost, the combination of Close Combat and Flare Blitz can handle Pokemon such as Scraggy, Stoutland, Shiftry, Torterra, Klang, and Maractus. Mach Punch is used as an anti-offense measure, picking off weakened faster threats like Zebstrika. U-turn can be used to take advantage of the switches that Monferno forces against Pokemon like Audino and Mawile and gain momentum, while Thunder Punch can be used as extra coverage to punish Water- and Flying-types like Frillish and Mantine that might expect a relatively easy switch into Monferno's STAB moves. Eviolite helps to improve Monferno's meager bulk to allow it to take hits better from the likes of Zebstrika, Shiftry, and Sneasel, while Life Orb boosts the power of its moves substantially. With base 81 Speed, a Jolly nature is needed to make sure that Monferno outspeeds several threats like Shiftry, Stoutland, and Arbok.

Monferno's high Base Power STAB moves and decent Speed make it a fantastic choice as a Choice Scarf user, outspeeding every other unboosted Pokemon in the tier. Choice Band, on the other hand, makes Monferno a powerful breaker without needing a turn to boost. U-turn has more viability on these sets, as Monferno undoubtedly will force switches and seeing an opponent's initial switch into it can help immensely as the game goes on. Mach Punch allows Monferno to damage faster Choice Scarf users like Dodrio while also making up for the lower Speed on the Choice Band set. These sets function well with other Volt Switch and U-turn users like Zebstrika and Jumpluff, as they can wear down mutual checks and continue forcing switches from the opponent. Because of this, hazard-stacking Pokemon like Dwebble, Maractus, and Stealth Rock users help to rack up damage and get opposing Pokemon into KO range. Checks and Counters Faster Pokemon: Golduck, Dodrio, Swoobat, Zebstrika, and Jumpluff all outspeed and threaten non-Choice Scarf Monferno with KOs or at least heavy damage. Only some of these Pokemon can switch into Monferno depending on Monferno's moveset, and some can be picked off by a boosted Mach Punch but overall can at least force Monferno out. Stunfisk and Beheeyem: While a bit shaky against the Swords Dance set, physically defensive Pokemon like Beheeyem and Stunfisk can take at least one hit from Monferno usually and threaten it with super-effective moves after. Stunfisk specifically makes Monferno tread carefully, even when using U-turn, due to the threat of Static paralysis shutting Monferno down completely. Frillish: Frillish is the most reliable Monferno check, being immune to one STAB move and resisting the other. However, Frillish does have to worry about being chipped into range of a +2 Flare Blitz and the possibility of Thunder Punch, which OHKOes after a Swords Dance.