Best Moveset for Empoleon in Pokemon GO
By Jack O'Dwyer
With Piplup's Spotlight Hour on the horizon, we've got the answer to the best moveset for its evolved form, Empoleon, in Pokemon GO.
Empoleon is the final evolution of Piplup, the water-type starter from the Sinnoh region. Its PokeDex number is #395. Also known as the "Emperor Pokemon"—likely a clever play-on-words of "Emperor Penguin"—these Pokemon use the size of the three horns sprouting from their beaks to determine the leader of the group. According to its description, the larger the horns, the stronger the Pokemon.
Best Moveset for Empoleon in Pokemon GO
Empoleon is a water and steel-type with vulnerabilities to electric, fighting, and ground-types. It is strong against bug, dragon, fairy, flying, normal, psychic, rock, and other water-types with double resistance to ice, poison, and other steel-types. It has the following stats:
- Maximum CP: 3279
- Maximum HP: 178
- Attack: 210
- Defense: 186
- Stamina: 197
Its best moveset includes the quick move Metal Claw and charged move Hydro Cannon. Fortunately, while Hydro Cannon is an Elite TM move, trainers will have the chance to secure it for their Empoleon during the 2021 December Community Day event. Hydro Pump is a suitable substitute, otherwise. All three moves benefit from the 20% damage increase from the Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) condition.
Empoleon only has two moves in its quick move pool: Metal Claw and Waterfall. Truthfully, both would work, but we believe that Metal Claw is the stronger choice. It generates more energy per second (EPS) at the cost of damage per second (DPS)—10 EPS to Waterfall's 7 and 14 DPS to 16. As longtime readers will know, the higher the EPS the more often trainers can prompt their charged move.
Hydro Cannon has both the lowest energy cost and the highest DPS—making it the ideal choice above all else. Hydro Pump is a close second with a DPS output of 47 for 30 energy per cast.
Trainers can evolve their Piplup into a Prinplup and then Empoleon using 25 and 100 candies, respectively.