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Bulk Up Palafin builds upon its natural bulk and Attack, letting it function as a strong priority attacker who uses its Defense to brazenly set up and become a threatening sweeper that is difficult to KO for common physical attackers like Chien-Pao, Landorus-T, and Kingambit. Jet Punch circumvents common speed control and is threatening against the frailer metagame, notably OHKOing Chi-Yu and Landorus at +1. Drain Punch is a reliable means of recovery in addition to Leftovers while also hitting popular Dark-types like Kingambit and Chien-Pao, as well as common Water-resistant or immune foes such as Rillaboom and Volcanion harder. Tera Grass provides an immunity to Amoonguss's Spore and Rage Powder, as well as resistances to Grass- and Electric-type attacks such as Rillaboom's Wood Hammer and Iron Hands's Wild Charge, which would otherwise OHKO Palafin. Palafin's base forme has poor damage output and bulk, so it is often ideal for it to lead and pivot out immediately to activate Zero to Hero. This is so crucial to Palafin's functioning that it is very telegraphed and easily exploitable with powerful attacks directed at it. To cover for this, Palafin may lead together with a Fake Out user or a redirector to reduce incoming damage. Bulk Up Palafin pairs well with partners that can remove Psychic Terrain, use Fake Out to generate free turns for Palafin to set up, and extend Palafin's longevity. Rillaboom fulfills all of these roles, with Grassy Terrain granting additional passive recovery. Cresselia is another good partner, as its Lunar Blessing heals Palafin and cures burn and poison, which would otherwise severely limit Palafin's offensive output or the turns it can stay on field. Amoonguss's Rage Powder redirects threatening attacks such as Iron Hands's Wild Charge, removes Toxic Spikes that reduce Palafin's longevity, and provides a major source of recovery for Palafin with Pollen Puff. Iron Hands is a Fake Out user whose Electric-type attacks eliminate opposing Water-types that resist Jet Punch. Grimmsnarl can also increase Palafin's bulk and create setup opportunities with its dual screens. As Amoonguss effortlessly walls Palafin and undoes its progress with Clear Smog, Palafin requires partners that deal with it effectively, like Heatran, Chien-Pao, and Chi-Yu.

Palafin is an extremely niche setup sweeper that has one of the strongest priority moves in the tier and not much else, as it is forced to use Zero to Hero to transform. Substitute prevents it from being statused from Pecharunt, Gholdengo, and Manaphy while allowing it to set up on passive targets like Corviknight, Swampert, and the aforementioned Manaphy. Bulk Up makes up for its lack of power, since it lacks an ability and item that increases its damage output. Drain Punch keeps Palafin healthy against checks like Corviknight and Manaphy and allows it to damage Water-immune foes like Iron Moth and Heatran. Ice Punch smacks Dragon-types like Dragonite and Roaring Moon, while Zen Headbutt OHKOes Iron Moth. Palafin fits on bulkier or balance teams as a late-game sweeper, so partners that can wear the opposing team down over time like Magic Guard Roaring Moon, Hisuian Electrode, and Deoxys-S are appreciated; entry hazard setters like Scream Tail, Heatran, and Great Tusk are also beneficial with their ability to chip down foes over time. Palafin is checked offensively by threats like Dragonite, Desolate Land Ceruledge, and Scream Tail, so teammates like Corviknight, Well-Baked Body Mandibuzz, and Heatran handle these threats. Physical walls like Pecharunt and Skarmory can wall Palafin consistently, so partners that can force them out like Deoxys-S and Sandy Shocks pair well with it. Desolate Land users like Iron Moth Roaring Moon, Primordial Sea Zapdos, and Well-Baked Body Gholdengo can deal with Desolate Land users like Iron Moth, Cinderace, and Heatran, making for great partners.

Palafin-H's powerful priority and good Speed tier separate it from other Bulk Up sweepers, such as Annihilape. Drain Punch: Even without Tera Fighting, Drain Punch's extra healing makes it a great choice for coverage, and it does massive damage to Kingambit, Chien-Pao, and Meowscarada. Taunt versus Substitute: With Taunt, Palafin-H excels at breaking through troublesome defensive Pokemon, such as Corviknight, Wo-Chien, and Skeledirge, and it also gives Palafin a decent move against Ting-Lu and Hippowdon before switching out for Zero to Hero. Substitute has a worse matchup defensive set-up Pokemon, but in exchange it turns Garganacl into an excellent set up opportunity and makes Palafin-H a fearsome sweeper with Toxic Spikes support. Other Options Ice Punch: If using Tera Water, Ice Punch is a reasonable option for hitting Dragon-types, though it does leave Palafin-H walled by Rotom-W. Encore: While harder to justify than the other support options, Encore does give Palafin-H new chances to set up, punishing slower set-up sweepers like Annihilape in particular. Tera Types Tera Dependency - Low: Unless using Tera Blast, Palafin-H is only pressured to Terastallize to improve certain matchups. Fairy: Besides being an excellent defensive typing that punishes Chien-Pao and Chi-Yu for using Dark-type attacks, Tera Fairy gives Palafin-H a great offensive option against Dragon-types like Dragonite and Baxcalibur, as well as coverage against Wo-Chien and Meowscarada with Tera Blast. Fighting: Boosting Drain Punch's power with Tera Fighting can make Palafin-H even more difficult to take down and can seriously compromise defensive Rotom-W thanks to Taunt or Substitute blocking Will-O-Wisp. However, it does make Palafin-H particularly vulnerable to Flutter Mane. Water: Tera Water helps Palafin-H pick off more threats with Jet Punch, having a good shot to OHKO offensive Flutter Mane unboosted after Stealth Rock damage. Poison: Besides offering a useful Fairy resistance, Tera Poison lets Palafin-H absorb Toxic Spikes and stop Toxic without a support move, making it a viable alternative. Items Leftovers: Leftovers takes advantage of Palafin-H's slow setup and is a requirement if using Substitute. Punching Glove: If using Taunt, Punching Glove is a good option to free up Leftovers for a teammate. Palafin-H appreciates the extra power Jet Punch and Drain Punch gain, and it becomes harder for Rocky Helmet Dragonite to wear it down. Covert Cloak: If using Taunt, Covert Cloak turns the tables on the Garganacl matchup in addition to protecting Palafin-H from surprise Light Ball Flings from foes like Annihilape. EV Spreads 252 HP / 140 SpD / 116 Spe with Careful: This spread maximizes Palafin-H's Special Defense while still outspeeding Jolly Breloom. 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly: Maximizing Speed allows Palafin-H to outspeed fast support Pokemon like Mimikyu and Annihilape so it can Taunt them. This spread also outspeeds the rare Choice Specs Hydreigon, which can deal massive damage with Draco Meteor if not using Tera Fairy. 252 HP / 140 Atk / 116 Spe with Adamant: This is a far more offensive approach to the set, letting Palafin-H function more as a revenge killer with the potential to sweep rather than a bulky setup Pokemon. This is best used with Tera Water, as Palafin-H will then OHKO offensive Flutter Mane with unboosted Jet Punch. The given Speed is for outspeeding Jolly Breloom.

Palafin's stats are middling, but after switching out once it will forme change into Palafin-H, which boasts the highest base Attack in the format, making it an effective wall breaker with Wave Crash, and a great revenge killer with Jet Punch. Flip Turn: Flip Turn is perfect for letting Palafin do some chip damage and escaping before it transforms into the heroic Palafin-H! It's possible to drop if coverage is desperately needed, but forcing Palafin to switch and losing out on a useful pivot move is not the right call in most cases. Ice Punch: Ice Punch is Palafin-H's best bet against Dragonite before it Terastallizes, and deals decent damage to Amoonguss. Close Combat versus Drain Punch: Close Combat is good coverage, hitting Rotom-W for neutral damage and covering Baxcalibur, Iron Bundle, and Roaring Moon. While weaker, Drain Punch's lack of defensive stat drops makes sense for a better matchup against Focus Sash Chien-Pao and restoring a good amount of health against Iron Bundle before usually KOing it with Jet Punch. Adamant versus Jolly: An Adamant nature increases the damage Wave Crash and Jet Punch inflict, making Palafin-H a more effective wall breaker and revenge killer. A Jolly nature enables Palafin-H to outspeed Jolly Mimikyu, Jolly Baxcalibur, and Jolly Annihilape. Other Options Grass Knot: Grass Knot lets Palafin-H potentially 2HKO physically defensive Dondozo, whose normally a good Palafin-H check. It doesn't cover anything else that's useful, with Azumarill and Rotom-W being fairly lightweight. Tera Types Tera Dependency - Low: Terastallization can make Palafin-H to an even more potent revenge killer and cleaner, but its not reliant on it. Water: Tera Water makes Palafin-H a potent late-game cleaner, making it the Tera Type that makes sense for most teams. Electric: If willing to give up on consistent coverage by using Tera Blast, Tera Electric Palafin-H deals a big amount of damage against common bulky Water-types like Azumarill, Dondozo, and Toxapex, in addition to saving Palafin-H from Iron Bundle's Freeze-Dry. Grass: A Grass Tera type turns all of Palafin-H's weaknesses into resistances, giving it a favorable matchup against Rotom-W, and making it immune to Spore from Breloom, Amoonguss, and Brute Bonnet, and having a good Tera Blast against Azumarill and Dondozo. If using the niche Grass Knot, it consistently 2HKOs all but specially defensive Dondozo. Items Choice Band: Choice Band gives Palafin-H the most amount of wallbreaking and revenge killing power. Assault Vest: Palafin-H's bulk is good enough to survive some powerful attacks with Assault Vest, such as Iron Bundle's Freeze-Dry, and it works well with bulkier EV spreads. Mystic Water: If Choice Band is used by another teammate, Mystic Water is a great alternative thanks to most of Palafin-H's attacks being Water-type anyways. Life Orb: Life Orb works well with revenge killing and makes the niche Grass Knot always 2HKO specially defensive Dondozo, but the severe compromise to Palafin-H's bulk, especially with Wave Crash recoil, makes it a lesser option. Bulkier EV Spreads 140 HP / 252 Atk / 116 Spe with Adamant: This EV spread outspeeds Jolly Breloom, and lets Palafin-H survive Tera Flying Choice Band Tera Blast from Dragonite from full health. 252 HP / 236 Atk / 20 Spe with Adamant: This EV spread outspeeds Adamant Breloom, and survives Modest Choice Specs Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage. If surviving that isn't important or if using Assault Vest, feel free to swap the HP and Attack investments. 60 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 12 SpD / 180 Spe with Jolly: This speedy Assault Vest spread outspeeds Jolly Annihilape, survives Jolly Life Orb Tera Dark Chien-Pao's Crunch from full health, and survives Modest Choice Specs Tera Fairy Flutter Mane's Moonblast after Stealth Rock damage.