Palafin — Abilities, Weaknesses & Best Builds
"Palafin is a speed utility built around physical attacks (70 Attack). It can outspeed most of the format, and it's commonly used because its water typing only has 2 weaknesses, which makes it forgiving to switch in."
✅ Strong against
Resisted or immune to these attack types
⚠️ Watch out for
These attack types deal extra damage
How to actually play it
- 1
Open Palafin into a favorable type matchup using its water STAB.
- 2
Pick the move that does the most damage to the most likely switch-in, not just the current Pokémon.
- 3
Pivot out once the opponent brings in a counter — don't get walled and lose a turn.
What new players get wrong
- ✕
Forgetting which attacks Palafin actually resists and burning a switch on a neutral hit.
- ✕
Expecting it to OHKO things — its job is usually role compression, not raw damage.
Why we rate Palafin the way we do
- Low damage output — has to play perfectly
Base Stats
Total: 457Use EVs to amplify the highest two — that's usually where this Pokémon's job lives.
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| Move | Type | Cat | Pwr | Acc | PP | How |
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Where Palafin shows up
#105
Usage ~2.03% · Win rate ~52.38%
#78
Usage ~2.69% · Win rate ~53.05%
Palafin FAQ
- What are Palafin's abilities in Pokémon Champions?
- Palafin can run zero-to-hero. The competitive default is usually zero-to-hero — see the abilities section above for the trade-offs.
- What is Palafin weak to in Pokémon Champions?
- Palafin takes extra damage from electric, grass. The full weakness breakdown is in the Weaknesses section, including any 4× type matchups.
- What is the best moveset for Palafin?
- The best moveset for Palafin depends on whether you're running it in Singles or Doubles. The Best Moveset section above lists the standard competitive set used at the top of the Pokémon Champions ladder.
- What counters Palafin in Pokémon Champions?
- The most reliable counters to Palafin are Pokémon with strong electric, grass attacks that outspeed it. See the Best Counters section for specific picks.
- Is Palafin good in the current Pokémon Champions meta?
- Palafin's usage and win rate in M-B Singles and Doubles are shown in the Format Snapshot section. Cross-reference with the Champions Lab tier list for full context.