Battling against Fighting-type Pokémon always carries risk. This type seems to deal way more damage than others – at some point, every player has probably thought, “I did not think it would do that much damage” while fighting a Machamp or Conkeldurr. There are two reasons for this, with the first being that Fighting-type Pokémon generally have very high attack scores.
Second, Fighting-type moves (on average) have incredibly high power ratings compared to other types. Fighting-type moves also commonly cause a secondary effect like flinching or paralysis. This list seeks to find the best possible Fighting-type moveset for any situation, regardless of any restrictions found in the game. Here are the ten best Fighting-type movesets – with each tailored for specific purposes.
10 The Ghost Killer Moveset
When facing a Ghost-type Pokémon it is probably better to switch out a Fighting-type for one that gives an advantage; since Fighting moves are ineffective against Ghosts. The first move is Counter. Counter is a low priority move that causes a just-hit Pokémon to counterattack with twice the power. Even though it’s a Fighting move the damage is type-less – so it will hit Ghosts. The Normal moves Foresight and Odor Sleuth allow Ghosts to be hit by physical attacks. Drain Punch and Cross Chop finish this moveset off with a “vampiric” move and a powerful attack.
9 The Sleeper Moveset
This moveset has three Fighting moves that work with a move of another type. The fourth move needs to be something that puts the target to sleep; preferably something with a high chance of success like Sing, Sleep Powder, or Hypnosis. The first Fighting move is Wake-Up Slap; which doubles in power (to 140) against a sleeping opponent. Focus Blast is third; a sleeping opponent can’t interrupt the attack by striking first. Meteor Assault is the final move. If the target doesn’t awaken, it can’t attack during the recharge turn.
8 The Hulk Moveset
Sometimes it is unwise to waste time lowering an opponent’s stats, raising your Pokémon’s stats, or attempting to inflict a status ailment on the opponent. Sometimes a more direct method is called for – this is usually the case with Fighting-types. This moveset is designed to make the opposing Pokémon faint as fast as possible. The first move is Close Combat; which is extremely powerful and lowers the target’s defense. The second move is Focus Blast. This is a powerful attack that can lower the target’s Special Defense. Secret Sword is a Fighting attack that is calculated against opponent’s Special Defense (rather than its Defense). Storm Throw is last; it always results in a critical hit.
7 The Confusing Moveset
This moveset has moves that deliver respectable amounts of damage, centered around a powerful move that always confuses the target. Dynamic Punch is first; has a power of 100. Should a Pokémon survive this move they will be confused, unless this is prevented by an item, move, or inherent ability. The slightly less powerful attack, Power-Up Punch, is on this list to boost Attack while causing damage to the opponent. Super Power is the move in this moveset with the highest power rating (120), and is great for finishing-off a weakened Pokémon. The last move in this moveset is Vital Throw; which goes last in a turn, but is always successful.
6 The Recoil Moveset
“Recoil” moves have never been too popular in the Pokémon games. They usually do damage that is much higher than the average move, but the user also suffers a small percentage of the damage dealt. The first move in this moveset is Drain Punch.
This move heals the user by half the amount of damage dealt – this helps recover the recoil damage. Submission is an attack with a power of 80, but has “recoils” ¼ of the damage. Rolling Kick is a weaker attack but may cause the target to flinch. The final move is High Jump Kick; which is incredibly powerful (130 power), but hurts the user if it misses (it has 90% accuracy).
5 The Team-Player Moveset
Multi-Pokémon battles began in Gen 3, and have become a lot more common since then. These team battles add a whole new dimension to the game and are quite a bit different than standard 1-on-1 battles. This moveset has moves designed to help a Fighting-type Pokémon make a trainer’s team more efficient in battle. Mat Block is included; it protects all Pokémon on the team from damaging moves – status ailments can still occur though. Quick Guard negates the priority level of high-priority moves, like Quick Attack. Reversal is the third move in this moveset, followed by Drain Punch.
4 The “Slow, But Powerful” Moveset
This moveset is for those Fighting-type Pokémon that don’t have a very high Speed score. There are more than a few of these, and they are always fighting uphill due to going last in a round of battle. This moveset is designed to negate and exploit this penalty. The first move is Vacuum Wave; which typically activates before the opponent’s move due to its high priority rating. The second move is Revenge. If a Pokémon is hit before Revenge activates (in that turn), the move’s power rises from 60 to 120. Hammer Arm is a powerful (100 power) attack that lowers the user’s speed. Body Slam is the last move, it does damage based on a Pokémon’s Defense score, rather than its Attack.
3 The Anti-Flyer Moveset
As with Ghost-types, it is probably smarter to switch out a Fighting-type when facing a Flying-type Pokémon. This moveset gives Fighting-types a decent chance at beating a Flying-type without much of a struggle. The first move is obviously Sky Uppercut. This move can hit opponents currently out of battle due to using the Fly move.
Fortunately, it has a high power rating (80) since it isn’t very effective against Flying-types. Counter makes this moveset due to a high damage potential (Flying moves are strong against Fighting-types) combined with its type-less damage. Detect completely protects the user from attacks, and Flying Press is a powerful attack that deals both Fighting and Flying-type damage.
2 The Catch’em All Moveset
This moveset is put together to give the trainer the best chance at catching a wild Pokémon. There are better Pokémon types for catching wild Pokémon, but those insistent on using a Fighting type would find this moveset the most efficient. Seismic Toss is great for chipping away at the opponent’s hit points in predictable increments. Octolock is included to prevent the target from fleeing battle; it also lowers Defense and Special Defense every turn. Force Palm is a weaker attack that may paralyze the opponent. Lastly, Vacuum Wave is in this moveset to ensure a first strike if needed.
1 The Wild Card Moveset
This is a moveset that is generally powerful, but really shines against Pokémon that focus of stat changes and protective moves. The first move is Brick Break; this move has a decent power rating (75) and destroys Reflect and Light Screen barriers. Aura Sphere (80 power) ignores an opponent’s evasion and the user’s accuracy – it always hits. Sacred Sword is a very damaging move (90 power) that ignores any changes to the target’s stats. The last move in this moveset is Focus Blast. It has a power of 120 and can lower the target’s Special Defense – which Focus Blast and Aura Sphere are calculated against.
NEXT: The 15 Best Moves In The Pokémon Series (And 10 That Are Bad)
