Pokémon X and Y Walkthrough, Pokémon Move Sets: Furfrou

Pokemon Profile: Furfrou

(Please note that the recommendations below are largely made for in-game play. A Furfrou in a competitive environment will likely make use of different moves to accommodate for smarter, more adaptive opponents. Got an alternative moveset? Let us all know in the comments.)

Perhaps the most stylish pokémon ever, Furfrou at first glance seems like one of those unfortunate creatures created solely for the purpose of having an out-of-battle gimmick. Don't be fooled, though - this dour doggy is a lot tougher than it first seems, and with some fiddling can become a rather useful addition to your team.

Type: Normal

Evolution

Furfrou is a single-stage pokémon. (No, it is not somehow related to Absol.)

Resistances

None. Immune to Ghost.

Weaknesses

Fighting.

Stats

Furfrou isn't quite an 'average' pokémon, but it comes somewhat close. Its HP is decent; its Attack is slightly above average; its Defense is a tad low; its Special Attack is also kinda low; its Special Defense is pretty good. The only base stat of Furfrou's that only really stands out is Speed, allowing Furfrou to outpace the majority of opponents (though most 'fast' pokémon will probably move a bit faster).

One last thing? Those fancy haircuts don't change Furfrou's stats one bit. It will be the same pokémon whether it's shaggy or decorated with hearts and stars. (I prefer the original look, myself.)

Ability

Fur Coat: Reduces damage incurred from physical moves by half. This ability is the reason to use Furfrou. Despite its lackluster Defense score, Furfrou is surprisingly difficult to kill because every physical attack - which includes the majority of fighting-type moves! - is instantly cut in half. In other words, it can be rather difficult to defeat a Furfrou in a single round unless you're using a move or pokémon with absolutely beastly combat stats.

Moves

Furfrou's stats allow it to go in a few different directions, depending on what you need on your team.

- Though it's hardly optimal, Furfrou can be a semi-sweeper with its decent Attack stat. Give it STAB damage with Return and it will be a reasonable hitter. Back this up with another Attack move - I'm partial to Sucker Punch, myself - and a few support moves to improve its survivability. Cotton Guard is a fantastic option for beefing up Furfrou's Defense, and Thunder Wave is annoying no matter your build.

- You can also turn Furfrou into a viable Toxic delivery system. Drop the backup attack for Toxic and keep Thunder Wave and Cotton Guard. Double Team is an additional option that can work well, though you may want to keep Return just in case you need to perform some actual hits. I also like Attract for this build, but that's entirely dependent on your opponent being the opposite gender.

- Last, you can use Furfrou to set up other pokémon with stronger elemental moves and abiliies. Toss Sunny Day and/or Rain Dance in its moveset, then use U-Turn to swiftly switch out while doing some additional damage.

EV / Super Training

Your training depends entirely on the move pool of your Furfrou, but in general I recommend boosting its HP and Speed. Both will improve its survivability. Special Defense is a decent option, as is Defense, though the latter is only necessary in case your Furfrou suddenly loses Fur Coat. Only bother with Attack if you intend to optimize your Furfrou's use of Return and Sucker Punch.

Catching a Furfrou

Furfrou, like many of the cooler sixth generation pokémon, appears in only one area: Route 5. Wander around in the flowers on this route and you'll find one soon enough.