Pokemon Scarlet & Violet has been out for over six months now, giving fans enough time to build a competitive meta for the series. Along the way, some moves both old and new have stuck out to players as some of the most brutal to encounter in battle. Lots of them are even exclusive to one species of Pokemon.
Although most moves in the Pokemon franchise can be usable in parts of the competitive meta, these examples can be the most devastating to players with less experience. Whether they're status moves that unexpectedly change the tide of battle or powerful moves that require a little set-up, these maneuvers are a force to be reckoned with in online play.
8 Rapid Spin
Rapid Spin has always been a useful move in the competitive meta since it was introduced in the second generation. As well as inflicting physical damage on opponents, Rapid Spin also removes hazards like Stealth Rocks or Spikes from the battlefield. This function can also be found in status moves like Defog, Tidy Up, or Glimmora's signature move, Mortal Spin.
However, in the eighth-generation games, Rapid Spin got a vastly overpowered upgrade. Now, in addition to its other two characteristics, Rapid Spin also boosts the user's Speed stat by one stage. In generation nine as well, this makes it an incredibly useful move for setup Pokemon like Cyclizar, who also gets STAB from the Normal-type move.
7 Stomping Tantrum
Few moves are as evergreen in the competitive meta as Earthquake. The Ground-type move deals a whopping 100 base damage with 100% accuracy. However, it can also be incredibly devastating for Pokemon that are currently in the middle of using Dig, although that Ground-type move hasn't seen a lot of competitive usage in recent years.
However, generation nine introduces a new Ground-type move that could potentially overtake it in Stomping Tantrum. If the player's previous move happens to fail, Stomping Tantrum's power is doubled from 75 base damage to a staggering 150. When paired with a move like Fake Out, which only works on the first turn, Stomping Tantrum can be a menace.
6 Bulk Up
A competitive team can't go wrong with an incredibly reliable status move that increases both Attack and Defense by one stage. Introduced in the third generation, Bulk Up is available to learn by plenty of competitively viable Pokemon, including Rillaboom, Palafin, and Koraidon, among many other Fighting-type Pokemon.
Although it was also incredibly useful in generation seven with the addition of Z-Moves, allowing for an additional risen stage of Attack, Bulk Up is still a must-have for sweepers who don't utilize Choice Scarves or Choice Bands. It's particularly useful for Pokemon like Annihilape, whose entire gimmick requires him to eat as many hits as he can without dying.
5 Sucker Punch
Another reliable competitive move is the Dark-type priority move Sucker Punch. Though it only works against Pokemon that are using attacking moves against the player, the move is an incredibly smart choice for Dark-type Pokemon who may not have the Speed to rely on other physical Dark-type moves like Knock Off, Crunch, or Night Slash.
Additionally, Sucker Punch can be learned by many different species of Pokemon, not just Dark-types, making it also a good choice for coverage. However, it's best utilized by a Dark-type Pokemon for the additional STAB bonus, which can not only deal a decent amount of damage but will surprise players who aren't expecting one's Pokemon to move that fast.
4 Sacred Sword
Sacred Sword was introduced in the fifth generation games as the signature move of the Swords of Justice, a quarter of Legendary Pokemon including Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, and Keldeo. However, in future games, other Pokemon have been made able to learn it, including the Honedge line, Gallade, the Oshawott line, and Chien-Pao.
The move is also boosted by Pokemon with the Sharpness ability, which includes Gallade and Hisuian Samurott. Although these are the only two Pokemon who can take advantage of the move, it makes them incredibly viable threats in the competitive scene. The addition of Terastallization can also help Hisuian Samurott make the most of this devastating attack.
3 Shed Tail
Unfortunately, some moves are so competitively dominant that they get banned altogether. That's sadly the case with Shed Tail, which can only be learned by the new generation nine Pokemon Cyclizar and Orthworm. It functions like a combination of Substitute and Baton Pass, creating a substitute and switching out Cyclizar or Orthworm for another party member.
Predictably, this move is incredibly useful in competitive play, allowing a safe switch-in that's protected by a Substitute. Although the move got banned from the OU tier, it ended up freeing Cyclizar from the ban list and returning him to OU as a more balanced Pokemon in the standard competitive tier. Hopefully, the return of Pokemon HOME will unban it someday.
2 Liquidation
Since its introduction in Pokemon Sun & Moon, Liquidation has been the go-to choice for Water-type physical attackers. With 85 base damage and a 20% chance of lowering the opposing Pokemon's defense, it's a pretty safe choice to deal consistent damage. As a plus, it's usable by many strong Water-types in the scene.
In generation nine, there are plenty of other physical Water-type moves that deserve a mention, from Aqua Step, to Jet Punch, and even Walking Wave's Hydro Steam. However, given the exclusivity of some of these moves, Liquidation makes for the premiere Water-type physical move that deals both damage and has everlasting effects in battle.
1 Fissure
Fissure has been part of the Pokemon franchise since the first generation as one of the most unique moves in the series. With only a 30% chance of hitting, Fissure is a guaranteed one-hit KO and substitute breaker, although it increases in accuracy with every level a user has. Nevertheless, it's still a hard-to-guarantee hit, unless players use it with one particular Pokemon.
Ting-Lu is a new addition to Scarlet & Violet as one of the four Treasures of Ruin. A Ground/Dark-type, Ting-Lu has as good a chance as any fully-leveled Pokemon at KOing with Fissure. However, thanks to Stomping Tantrum, a failed Fissure will also guarantee a one-hit KO with Stomping Tantrum, making it an ideal choice for Ting-Lu sets.
Pokemon Scarlet & Violet is currently available on Switch.