QUAQUAVAL STRATEGY IN COMPETITIVE POKÉMON

The Generation 9 Starter Set brings us 3 great additions to Competitive Pokémon , each with their differences.

Quaquaval is statistically the least powerful of Paldea’s starting 3, but it’s no less powerful for that. His great ability and exclusive movement mean that with a couple of good turns he can improve his stats and be the best sweeper on our team. If we add to this that it has great movements and a great type, we are left with a really interesting Pokémon with great potential.

Here we explain how to play the duckling in both Singles and VGC so that you can turn it into a dancer of death.

? STATS FOR QUAQUAVAL

His statistics add up to a total of 530 points , normal for a starter:

• Health: 85.
• Attack: 120.
• Defense: 80.
• Special Attack: 85.
• Special Defense: 75.
• Speed: 85.

We are facing a Pokémon with a lot of damage capacity (those 120 Attack are nonsense) and a somewhat mediocre defensive capacity. At only 85 Health, 80 Defense, and 75 Special Defense… Quaquaval isn’t the best Pokémon taking hits, so we need to keep that in mind when building its set. In addition, its Speed ​​remains at 85, being a Pokémon neither fast nor very slow (to be able to take advantage of the Rare Space ).

Although it may seem that this takes away his chances, the dancing duck has the resources to get ahead and we are going to see how to play him to take advantage of his great potential.

TYPE, RESISTANCES AND WEAKNESSES

Quaquaval is a Fighting Water Type , just like Fluid Urshifu , which gives it the following weaknesses and resistances:

• It is resistant to Fire, Water, Ice, Bug, Rock, Dark and Steel.
• It is weak to Electric, Grass, Flying, Psychic and Fairy.

With 7 resistances Quaquaval has a great typing to deal with in most matchups, even though Bug is often a negligible resistance.

And now we go with his 6 weaknesses. Although there are many, some are of rare types. Let’s see what they are and what Pokémon can be dangerous:

• Electric : It is an awkward weakness, especially since Pokémon of this type are usually faster.  Tapu Koko , Regieleki , and Pawmot are big trouble.
• Plant : The antagonistic type of Water can historically give us problems, especially its starting partner Meowscarada .
• Psychic : A rare type but with very dangerous Pokémon on the Special damage side. Be careful with Hatterene in Trick Space.
• Fairy : Its most dangerous weakness, with great Pokémon and very few responses against it. Zacian is obviously terrifying, as is Togekiss with its very effective double STAB damage.
• Flying : A very common type and very present in hedges. Pokémon like Gyarados  or Kilowattrel can give us problems.

QUAQUAVAL ABILITIES

Let’s now see their abilities and which ones could be interesting:

TORRENT

This ability boosts the damage of Water-type movements by 50% when our Pokémon has health below 1/3. It’s a fairly weak ability shared by Water starters (such as Primarina and Feraligatr) that we won’t be using.

SELF ESTEEM

This ability increases our Attack by one level when we weaken a rival Pokémon with our Pokémon. A great ability that causes a snowball effect with which to overwhelm our opponent.

This is a very good ability that will put our Quaquaval under a lot of pressure. If we manage to boost ourselves, he will be unstoppable. And as we are going to see, it is not the only way to do it that the duckling has.

IVS, EVS AND NATURE

The perfect Iv’s; We will use the EVs to give our Quaquaval that resistance it will need to get all those boosts or give it all the speed we need:

For a more offensive set :

• EV’s : 252 in Attack, 252 in Speed ​​and 4 in Health.
• Nature : Cheerful (+Speed, -Special Attack).

For a more defensive set :

• EV’s : 252 Health, 124 Attack, 28 Defense, 4 Special Defense and 100 Speed.
• Nature : We will carry Steady Nature (+Attack, -Special Attack).

RECOMMENDED ITEM

These are the objects that we recommend for Quaquaval:

• Vidasfera : With this object our Quaquaval will do 30% extra damage in exchange for losing 10% of Health after attacking. It is a great option to turn our duck into the great offensive threat that we want.
• Choice Scarf : It will increase Quaquaval’s Speed ​​by 50%, limiting us to using only one movement. This object can be very good, we will surprise more than one with a fast duck.
• Focus Band : This object will leave us at 1 point of Health if an attack is going to weaken us with 100% Health.
• Expert Tape : This item increases the damage of super effective attacks by 20%.
• Ziuela Berry : This berry will cure us of any status effect (Asleep, Burnt, Paralyzed). It is very useful for Wildfire or Spore.

AQUA STEP: HIS SIGNATURE MOVE

• Type: Water
• Physical
• Power: 80
• Precision: 100
• Effect: After hitting our Speed ​​increases by one level.

This move allows Quaquaval to become a huge threat; if we manage to boost ourselves. With an extra level we will outspeed many Pokémon (with our EVs at maximum) like Cinderace , Meowscarada or Dragapult .

BEST QUAQUAVAL MOVES

The cat Pokémon has many moves. Here we recommend the ones we liked the most:

• Aqua Step : His favorite Water STAB that will condition opponents a lot. Very effective against Fire, Rock and Ground. Our move against Skeledirge , Hippowdon or Terrakion .
• Point Blank : STAB Fighting, Physical, 120 power, 100% accuracy and it will lower our Defense and Special Defense by one level when using it. Very effective against Steel, Ice, Normal, Rock and Dark. It will be our choice against Galarian Darmanitan , Snorlax or Lucario for example.
• Round Trip : Bug, Physical, 70 power and 100% accuracy. The Pokémon returns to the Pokéball after attacking. It is very effective against Grass, Psychic and Dark. It is our pivot movement, especially if we use the Choice Scarf.
• Brave Bird : Flying, Physical, 120 Power and 100% Accuracy. This movement will damage us 1/3 of the damage we do. A great movement with which to destroy the opponent and activate Self-Esteem, but that will take away survivability by damaging us. It’s great coverage for hitting Bug, Fighting, and Grass-types very hard. It’s great against Venusaur or Scizor for example.
• Aqua Jet : Water STAB, Physical, 40 power and 100 precision, which will attack with priority. Our option to hit faster Pokémon and finish them off.
• Sword Dance : Normal, State, we increase our Pokémon’s Attack by 2 levels. With this, Aqua Step and Self-esteem, our Quaquaval will become an annihilator.

QUAQUAVAL STRATEGIES

The dancing duckling is capable of raising its power to infinity and beyond, but we have to know how and when to do it. We bring you two options, one faster and with more damage that will be easier to use, but also easier to be weakened. And one where we will be a little more tanky, but that will be able to destroy the rival if we manage to hold on.

QUAQUAVAL EXODIA, ATTACKER OR SWEEPER (SINGLES AND VGC)

• IVs: Perfect.
• EVs: 252 Attack, 4 Defense, 252 Speed
• Nature: Cheerful.
• Object: Life Orb / Election Scarf.
• Skill: Self esteem.
• Movements:
  • Aqua Step.
  • Point blank.
  • Bold Bird.
  • Aqua Jet/Sword Dance.

The objective of this set is to get our Quaquaval to boost Speed ​​and Attack and become a destroyer, in Exodia . To do this, we must protect it well and previously eliminate its biggest threats.

Once we place our Duck in a comfortable position, we will hit with Aqua Step to increase our Speed. From this point we must hit with the movement that does the most damage to weaken the opponent, thus activating Self-esteem and creating that snowball effect.

The choice between Acua Jet and Sword Dance is personal. If you want a way to take down those Pokémon so quickly, Aqua Jet is great once our Attack is buffed. If you look confident enough to know when to hold Quaquaval up on the field, a Sword Dance can spell the end of your opponent.

The Choice Scarf forces us to use Quaquaval in a more reserved way, since once we use a move, we won’t be able to switch. So the remaining Pokémon of the rival must at least not be resistant to our movements or we will have it raw. With this object we will not use Sword Dance.

HARDY QUAQUAVAL, TIMED BOMB (SINGLES & VGC)

• IVs: Perfect.
• EVs: 252 Health, 124 Attack, 28 Defense, 4 Special Defense, and 100 Speed.
• Nature: Firm.
• Item: Expert Tape/Lifesphere.
• Skill: Self esteem.
• Movements:
  • Aqua Step.
  • Point blank.
  • Bold Bird.
  • Aqua Jet/Sword Dance.

Despite being a similar set in terms of moves, the way Quaquaval is played is different. Here our dancer is able to take hits better and we still have enough Speed ​​to be very fast once we use Aqua Step.

By having more resistance, Brave Bird will give us enough damage to be able to weaken an opponent and activate Self-Esteem, causing that snowball that we are looking for.

It’s easier to use Sword Dance here because it has more stamina, but Aqua Jet still has great utility.

QUAQUAVAL TERACRYSTALLIZATION

• Teracrystallization: Water.

The unitary Water type is a great defensive type and thanks to the improved STAB of teracrystallization (x2) our moves Aqua Step and Aqua Jet will hit really hard, just the moves that can take advantage of this extra damage to surprise an opponent and activate our ability. .

HOW TO DEFEAT QUAQUAVAL AND COUNTERS

The Dancing Pokémon has a great type and good moves, but it also has its weaknesses. Let’s see how you can exploit them:

• Mist : This move destroys Quaquaval. Mist restores all changes to the stats of Pokémon on the field, removing the duckling’s boost. Dusclops or Toxapex is a great Pokemon to use this move on.
• Debuff it in one hit : As we have seen, we are dealing with a Pokémon with low defenses and Health, so we can weaken it before it becomes a problem. We can use Salamence or Meowscarada for this very effectively.