Umbreon Pokémon: Best Moveset and Attack Strategy Guide

Umbreon is a Dark-type Pokémon that is weak against Bug-, Fairy-, and Fighting-type attacks but resistant to Dark-, Ghost-, and Psychic-type moves. So picking the right setup for your Umbreon is crucial in both Pokémon Go and the latest Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Use Foul Play, Psychic, and Snarl as wide coverage, but otherwise go for a defensive healer using Foul Play, Wish, Protect, and Heal Bell. Toxic can be a great substitute and your strategy is generally to rely on the bulk and Defense of Umbreon to chip away at enemies.

We’ll look at some move combinations and strategies involving Umbreon, as well as the best ways to leverage the unique characteristics of Umbreon to get that coveted win.

Is Dark Pulse or Foul Play Better?

Foul Play needs to have a support structure to make it truly better than Dark Pulse, but it is superior when used in this way.

One way to take advantage of this is to use Swagger, which will greatly boost your opponent’s attack only for you to Foul Play them. This is particularly good against Special Attack-based teams.

If you further lean into this with EVs in HP and Defense, this Foul Play Umbreon would tank the attack, then reply back with a devastating Foul Play. The combined damage will one hit KO most fast Pokémon and low HP or Defense opponent.

Foul Play is a physical attack that has a higher base power than Dark Pulse but given the mechanics of Foul Play that’s not the biggest consideration.

Dark Pulse is also a Special Attack that does 80 base damage at 100 accuracy, with a 20% chance to cause a flinch. 

Is Psychic a Good Move for Umbreon?

Where Physic shines is as a coverage move. While it is still resisted by three types (Steel, Psychic, and doubly by Dark) but it is super effective against some of Umbreon’s biggest nemeses: Fighting- and Poison-types.

Umbreon is a Dark-type and so won’t get the Special Type Attack Bonus or STAB for Psychic, but given the 90 base power and EV training for Special Attack, you could basically negate this debuff.

Keep in mind that the power of Physic forces Machamp and Sirfetch’d to shield up, really only being weak to Primeape, Hitmontop, Hariyama, and half-Dark Scrafty and Pangoro.

A Snarl/Foul Play Umbreon can topple Toxicroak, Poison-type Nidoqueen, Poison/Grass Venusaur, and consistently beat Shadow Victreebel.

Is Umbreon Better at Attack or Special Attack?

Umbreon excels with physical moves in a standard matchup, so sticking with your Attack stat is going to get you through close battles. 

Special Attack does have its place, but like most battle strategies that evolve going against the prevailing nature of the Pokémon, it will be to fill a niche you have in your team.

In the end, you want to go with a Nature that boosts Attack, and also consider that the EV spread for Umbreon will favor Special Defense. Umbreon is not going to outspeed many in the current metagame, so be sure to better assign speed points elsewhere.

Of course, the EV bonus to Special Defense may push you to build a Special Attack-based Umbreon, but unless you’re going with a Psychic Umbreon this is probably going to be slightly underpowered.

What Is the Best Moveset for Umbreon?

For Pokémon Go, the best moves with the highest total DPS are Snarl and Foul Play. This is great for when attacking Pokémon in Gyms and PVP battles.

For Pokémon Sword and Shield, you can build a cleric Umbreon that takes advantage of his healing and defensive powers, with Foul Play, Wish, Protect, and Heal Bell. No amount of status changes, or low- to mid-range attacks will kill this beast.

You still also have the Foul Play option to really destroy any physical attackers brought out to deal with you, especially those relying on Abilities like Moxie.

To further boost the defensive capabilities, go for the item of Leftovers to restore some HP every turn, with Inner Focus to keep the nasty rhythm interruptions of the flinch effect.

There are some other strategies that involve using Yawn, Helping Hand, Moonlight to further confuse and stall your opponent, while also giving you more healing time.

Otherwise, a Toxic Orb with Poison Heal and a Sassy Nature will work perfectly with Spiky Shield, Knock Off, Teleport and then either Purify or Will-O-Wisp. The latter does a lot to stall and reduce a big sweeper given the debuff for the target’s attack.

Not only can you block status changes with Toxic Orb, but you also simultaneously benefit with a 12.5% heal per turn. You also still get a weaker cleric build by switching in Purify, as this will both heal and cure status for a target, making it great for duos and trios.