Pokémon Ribombee

[Morsel]

Ribombee

Pokedex Number: 743
Type:

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Base stats: 60 HP / 55 Att / 60 Def / 95 Sp.A / 70 Sp.D / 124 Speed

Honey Gather: May pick up a Honey after battle; the higher the level, the higher the chance.
Shield Dust: Damaging moves used by the opponent will not have an additional effect.
Sweet Veil (HA): Prevents itself and ally Pokemon from falling asleep.
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Movepool
*Notable moves are highlighted in red*
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Level Up and Egg

Egg Moves

Pollen Puff
Absorb
Fairy Wind
Stun Spore
Struggle Bug
Moonblast

Level Up

L4 - Fairy Wind
L7 - Stun Spore
L10 - Struggle Bug
L13 - Silver Wind
L16 - Draining Kiss
L21 - Sweet Scent
L28 - Bug Buzz
L35 - Dazzling Gleam
L42 - Aromatherapy
L49 - Quiver Dance

Technical Machines

TM04 - Calm Mind
TM06 - Toxic
TM10 - Hidden Power
TM11 - Sunny Day
TM16 - Light Screen
TM17 - Protect
TM19 - Roost
TM20 - Safeguard
TM22 - Solar Beam
TM27 - Return
TM28 - Leech Life
TM29 - Psychic
TM32 - Double Team
TM33 - Reflect
TM40 - Aerial Ace
TM42 - Facade
TM44 - Rest
TM45 - Attract
TM46 - Thief
TM48 - Round
TM53 - Energy Ball
TM62 - Acrobatics
TM77 - Psych Up
TM83 - Infestation
TM85 - Dream Eater
TM87 - Swagger
TM88 - Sleep Talk
TM89 - U-Turn
TM90 - Substitute
TM96 - Nature Power
TM88 - Dazzling Gleam
TM100 - Confide

New Moves and Z Moves!

New Move

Pollen Puff: The user attacks the enemy with a pollen puff that explodes. If the target's an ally, it restores HP instead [

/

/ 90 BP / 100% Accuracy / 15 PP].

Usable Z Moves

- Breakneck Blitz [Max 160 BP Physical; 120 BP Special]

- Supersonic Strike [Max 120 BP Physical]

- Savage Spinout [Max 160 BP Physical; 175 BP Special]

- Bloom Doom [Max 190 BP Special]

- Shattered Psyche [Max 180 BP Special]

- Black Hole Eclipse [Max 120 BP Physical]

- Twinkle Tackle [Max 175 BP Special]

Competitive Analysis and Movesets
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Offensive Quiver Dance​

Ribombee @ Life Orb / Focus Sash
Ability: Shield Dust
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Psychic / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic / Bug Buzz
- Moonblast


Set details

I feel that this will be Ribombee's most common set. For the spread, maximizing offensive stats is ideal seeing how this set is meant to setup with quiver dance, and Ribombee doesn't have the natural bulk to justify HP investment. A timid nature is needed to take advantage of its great speed tier, and a life orb is preferred due to the fact that even at +1 Ribombee really doesn't hit that hard due to only having base 95 special attack. Other item options include running an elemental plate (pixie or bug plate) if life orb recoil is unappealing. This is especially worth considering if your team has no hazard removal, as LO recoil and hazard damage will wear Ribombee down quickly. A focus sash is a third option to guarantee a quiver dance off against any opponent, which is worth considering due to its poor bulk. Of all Ribombee's abilities, shield dust is the most useful, as it allows it to setup on bulky water types and discharge users (Zapdos, Alomomola, Suicune, etc.) without fearing status.

Looking at its moves, quiver dance is needed because this is the basis of this set, and without it it cannot boost its stats. Moonblast is an obligatory STAB attack that every Ribombee should run and is its most powerful neutral attack. The last two moveslots have a few options. Bug buzz is not nearly as needed due to the fact that bug STAB is poor and provides bad neutral coverage. Most targets that resist Moonblast also resist Bug Buzz (steel, poison and fire types), so having both is not mandatory. Psychic is a good option to nail Amoonguss, Mega Venusaur, Salazzle and Toxapex on the switch. For the last move, HP Ground is preferred to hit Heatran and fire types hard on the switch; however, HP Fire is an option to OHKO Ferrothorn and M-Scizor at +1. Substitute is a fourth option that allows Ribombee to setup on passive Pokemon like Clefable and Quagsire, but keep in mind that running substitute gives Ribombee significantly more offensive checks.


Team Options and Partners

• This set requires entry hazard setters and removal in order to function properly. Many of Ribombee's checks (grounded steel, fire and poison types) lack reliable recovery (Ferrothorn, Heatran, Salazzle and Excadrill), meaning that spikes helps to wear them down to a point where Ribombee can pick them off. Likewise, hazard removal is needed, as it will have much more difficulty setting up at 75%, and will get worn down significantly with life orb recoil.

• Starmie is an excellent partner. Thanks to rapid spin, it can easily clear away stealth rocks for Ribombee, which in turn increases its longevity and gives it more opportunities to setup. Moreover, it can easily take on fire, steel and poison types for Ribombree, most notably Heatran, Salazzle, Toxapex, Amoonguss, Mega Venusaur, Skarmory and Excadrill.

• Dugtrio is also an excellent partner. While it doesn't provide hazard removal, with proper play, it can easily kill many notable steel, poison and fire types, which coincidentally correspond to some of Ribombee's best counters. It can also set stealth rocks for Ribombee, which helps it wear down its checks further

Other Options

A choiced set (scarf or specs) with U-Turn over Quiver Dance could function decently. However, I feel that there are other Pokemon that fulfil that role more effectively, so a separate set and analysis isn't needed; quiver dance is Ribombee's niche, use it.

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Closing Thoughts

I adore this Pokemon. Its design is absolutely flawless: its brown scarf, colour scheme, and cool wings make it so cute. It definitely looks like a good mix between a bug and fairy. While this thing will be niche at best in OU due to its lack of coverage and frailty, its high speed and deceptively high special attack make it worth using. But you do need to keep in mind that this Pokemon will require a significant amount of support and thus you need to build your team around it to be successful. Leave your thoughts on this post and discuss down below! Thanks for reading and have a nice day!

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[nameless90]

I think that the only thing that keeps Ribombee in OU is that base 124 Spe, with access to Quiver Dance, which is mandatory to rectify the SpA.
Even though this thing has a middling bulk, with 252 HP EVs + a fast Quiver Dance Ribombee can check some special hits with ease (bar crits).

A bulky Quiver Dance set is also possible such as in the case of Volcarona; something like this:

Bulky Quiver Dance
Ribombee @ Leftovers/Sitrus Berry
Ability: Shield Dust
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe (max HP for general survivability and max Spe to stack up two boosts)
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Psychic / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic / Bug Buzz
- Moonblast

Seems a little niche, but that high Spe grants us some freedom to use Quiver Dance.

 

[Magnus0]

Baton pass is there to switch out without losing your quiver dance boost. However, Ribombee's frailty and SR weakness means that it likely can't set up a second time, meaning that using baton pass essentially kills it.

Pollen Puff can be used over bug buzz to hit things with soundproof, but it doesn't have much utility outside of that in singles. It might be decent in doubles though.

I think Ribombee as a whole is better in doubles, with access to moves like pollen puff, speed swap, dazzling gleam and screens.

 

[Gengarzilla]

I feel as though Sweet Veil is worth a bit more consideration than the OP states, but that's probably just me. Just say that you've already got a way around Scald but have problems with sleep.

 

[Ash Borer]

Unfortunately being a cutey doesn't count for much in battle. This will be a solid Quiver Dance for lower tiers.

 

[HotFuzzBall]

Yeah this mon I see it dropping no further than NU since Bug/Fairy is a pretty meh typing tbh. What it does have is a respectable 95 SpA and solid 124 Spe which will make it a threat in the lower tiers. I don't see much of a niche being carved for Ribombee in the OU tier since it requires a lot of support and there are better sweepers out there that can take advantage of more situations then Ribombee. But, who knows? Only time well tell of this cutie's future in the competitive scene.

On a side note, Ribombee will probably be better in VGC then singles due to its Speed and decent support pool.

 

[Xyonon]

Hm ... isn't being unable to use sleep powder pretty much "rip quiver dance setup" ? Altough it's fast, it will probably have +1 on SpeDef when it gets attacked. But I doubt it will survive anything beyond that. Or how are you gonna plan using it?

 

[Zé Capáu]

You can opt between Pollen Puff and Bug Buzz.

With Pollen Puff you lose the additional -SpDef chance effect from Bug Buzz, while in the other hand it has more PP and it isn't stopped by Soundproof nor Throat Chop.

 

[STEELDRAGON]

Although this pokemons best sets will include Quiver dance I can see it using Calm Mind quite a bit with Baton Pass due to the BP Clause. There are a quite a few interesting sets it could. Choice Specs immediately comes to mind due to its very Impressive speed tier and decent Special attack.

 

[Gengarzilla]

You can opt between Pollen Puff and Bug Buzz.

With Pollen Puff you lose the additional -SpDef chance effect from Bug Buzz, while in the other hand it has more PP and it isn't stopped by Soundproof nor Throat Chop.

But Pollen Puff is stopped by Substitute, which I'd call more common than Soundproof.

 

[Zé Capáu]

But Pollen Puff is stopped by Substitute, which I'd call more common than Soundproof.

Oh, forgot that sound moves actually bypass Substitute. I thought that only applied to Boomburst.

 

[Morsel]

All sound-based moves do.

 

[Gengarzilla]

Well, now you know.

I hope this little thing shows up more often once Aegislash and company get the boot. As things are now, I'd say that having your dual STAB being resisted by Steel is a death knell. Shame.

 

[Pushinguplilacs]

I think that the only thing that keeps Ribombee in OU is that base 124 Spe, with access to Quiver Dance, which is mandatory to rectify the SpA.
Even though this thing has a middling bulk, with 252 HP EVs + a fast Quiver Dance Ribombee can check some special hits with ease (bar crits).

A bulky Quiver Dance set is also possible such as in the case of Volcarona; something like this:

Bulky Quiver Dance
Ribombee @ Leftovers/Sitrus Berry
Ability: Shield Dust
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe (max HP for general survivability and max Spe to stack up two boosts)
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Psychic / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psychic / Bug Buzz
- Moonblast

Seems a little niche, but that high Spe grants us some freedom to use Quiver Dance.

Idk how well that ev spread will do in singles, but I really like that combo of evs for doubles. throw the puffs on it, dazzling gleam and protect and do some stuff.

 

[Joycap]

Are we forgetting that this thing can be a cleric? With THAT speed stat?

Give it here, lads!

Yui (Ribombee) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Shield Dust
EVs: 40 HP / 216 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Moonblast
- U-turn
- Aromatherapy

Also - i'd like to mention how underrated Shield Dust is. If a threat such as FO Incineroar/Mega Blastoise tries to break your sash, you can still Uturn out. You're also immune of scald burns, waterfall flinches from the off that that outspeeds you, Body Slam parahax... basically anything listed under Sheer Force - you reduce the value of (http://www.serebii.net/abilitydex/sheerforce.shtml).

(Reads back on the posts)
Oh... looks like we already know this lol.

With that, I do not actually think this thing will necessarily be a sweeper - but the dual STAB you already have is unique and CAN do a bit of late game cleanup dependent upon the scenario.

I would also argue that a Ground Type such as Excadrill (also mentioned at the front of the post) could be Ribombees' best partner - as you comfortably clear out Salazzle/Metagross/Magearna/other misc. rock and/or steel types that can scare Ribombee out, alongside hazard control.

With that considered - something funny I found:

216 SpA Ribombee Bug Buzz vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Kartana: 208-245 (80 - 94.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Might not seem like much - but let it sink in...
Sash Ribombee can beat Kartana 1v1...
Idk, just food for thought. Take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Hrothgar]

This thing has been an ingame superstar for me. I was all about salazzle, lycanroc and a-raichu, and then this little guy comes along and out classes them all.

Unfortunately in competition it is outclassed by volcarona, and even venomoth in the lower tiers. It needs a niche, which will probably be a fast cleric with nice stabs that can u-turn out of steels that don't have bullet punch.

 

[Joycap]

It needs a niche, which will probably be a fast cleric with nice stabs that can u-turn out of steels that don't have bullet punch.

Exactly my point. Everyone thinks it's some sort of carry role (QD sweeper) which it will very rarely get mileage out of imo. whereas U-turn + Cleric gives it maximum mileage out of base 124 speed, and still has a unique dual STAB that can help it from time to time.

 

[themadkingatmey]

Is the Baton Pass Clause applied to Sun and Moon yet? I don't believe so, right? Cause if not, then it would seem to me a baton passing quiver dancing set is the best option for Ribombee given that speed. The only potential pokemon that can do is Venomoth, and obviously, 90 speed is less than 124 speed. It seems like Ribombee lacks the coverage and pure damage to be the best QD sweeper itself, but baton passing those boosts onto something like an alakazam or one of the tapus. I mean, it could really work, I think.

 

[Hrothgar]

I don't think ribombee's speed outweighs venomoth's perfect abilities for a qd passer in tinted lens and wonder skin, as well as its access to sleep powder.

 

[JoJoX200]

Quiver Dance is on every moth/butterfly mon since Gen5. I don't think it's the way to go for Ribombee to be special. I like it way more as a Dual Screener(though I'll admit, that's mostly because ingame, it did a lot of work that way), since it's so fast and has an interesting typing to abuse. Bug Buzz is also quite good to force out some mons because Ribombee is just THAT fast.

In Doubles, it is amazing though. Ignores flinches from Fake Out, can heal allies with Pollen Puff and its high speed + Speed Swap makes it kinda anti-Trick Room, since you can "cripple" a TR sweeper's speed when you anticipate the Trick Room set up. Alternatively, you make your partner into a speed demon, which honestly is probably just a worse attempt at what TR already does for super slow mons, but works great on those things with middling speed unfit for TR(like Xurkitree for example)

 

[Chameleon]

Been trying to use Ribombee in OU. It's obviously not OU material, but it can still do some fun things. Thank you JoJoX200 for recommending the Dual Screens set - Ribombee is walled by too much in the tier, so screens make sure the turns don't go to waste.

Interestingly, Ribombee is the fourth fastest non-uber Dual Screener (behind Tapu Koko, Mega Alakazam, and prankster Klefki), and the second fastest Fairy. It outspeeds all dragons bar the unavailable Mega Sceptile. So if this guy ends up in a tier with Noivern you can troll him by 1 base point.

Ribombee @ Light Clay
248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- U-Turn / Aromatherapy

Strangely enough, it has a fair matchup against certain leads thanks to its Dragon immunity and resistance to Earthquake and U-Turn. Set up a screen, and in bad match-ups just U-Turn out. You still threaten Dragons and Dark types; Naive Greninja is outsped and OHKO'ed, and most other Darks / Dragons are 2HKO'ed. Running more Special Attack is an option... or Bug Buzz, HP Ground, or even Roost in the last slot (haven't tested).

Unfortunately, it's very vulnerable to Stealth Rock (which it can't prevent being set up) and can be surprise OHKO'ed by scarfers given its frailty.

...
We'll likely see Quiver Dance and Specs variants in the lower tiers where Ribombee will end up. But that won't stop us from using Ribombee other places, and in casual all-tier matches lol. ^_^ Quiver Dance is very scary on paper - unlike Venomoth it outspeeds most scarfers, and unlike Volcarona it's checked by Steels instead of Dragons.

 

[JoJoX200]

Judging from a few calcs I did, even with full HP investment, resisted hits usually 2HKO it, (that's without screens up), so I'd consider Roost a lesser lesser option, especially because Ribombee's fast U-Turn probably helps its survivability(and its team) more than Roosting up.

I also looked at the Spore users, because Ribombee does have to decide between Sweet Veil and Shield Dust. Ribombee can set up in... Parasect's... face. But Breloom potentially Rock Tombs you, Amoonguss' Clear Smog/Sludge Bomb 2HKOs and OHKOs respectively and Shiinotic also 2HKOs with Sludge Bomb. That means, even for Dual Screening purposes, Shield Dust is more useful.

 

[Unyubaby]

I found the most use of Ribombee in Doubles with the Oricorio combo. Pollen Puff is also a very interesting mechanic in Doubles and could have some use as a last minute usage to heal its partner. In Singles though, the fragility is tough to compensate for since a lot can knock it out and resist it. I don't see Ribombee dropping too low though, maybe even UU. Cuz even if it does have a niche use in OU-UU, people are probably still going to use it for one reason or another.

 

[zferolie]

I found the most use of Ribombee in Doubles with the Oricorio combo. Pollen Puff is also a very interesting mechanic in Doubles and could have some use as a last minute usage to heal its partner. In Singles though, the fragility is tough to compensate for since a lot can knock it out and resist it. I don't see Ribombee dropping too low though, maybe even UU. Cuz even if it does have a niche use in OU-UU, people are probably still going to use it for one reason or another.

Yeah been using it with Cheerleader Oricorio in doubles and VGC and its amazing. Though I am not sure if sweet veil or Shield dust is best. I was using shield but got screwed by a spore once. I even have speed swap on it to pass its insane speed to my slower Wishiwashi and SD Decidueye.

As for Oricorio i put Calm mind on it along with HP Ground. With air slash and Rev dance ground gives perfect covereage and wrecks Alolan Muk, and With calm mind I get 2 SpA and SD in 1 turn with quiver dance dancer.

Anyway enough of Oricorio. Ribombee shines mostly in doubles, but its not terrible in singles. High speed, Pretty high spA, and some good selection of moves. Not OU, but UU probably

 

[Flareon]

Whilst Ribombee isn't the bulkiest, it still has a couple of neat resistances. 4X fighting and 2X ground come to mind.
As mentioned before, a ground type partner would help. Ribombee can't do much to steel-types.

I do think it's worth mentioning that at 124 speed, Ribombee is the fastest Fairy-Type available in the meta game. Does it outspeed any notable scarf users?