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Considering Excadrill's fantastic stats and excellent move pool, it's no mystery why the slashing mole Pokemon has been popular ever since its debut in Generation V.
As a Steel and Ground-type, Excadrill is immune to both Poison and Electric-type attacks and resists many others. This defensive typing makes up for its other abysmal stats, allowing Excadrill to set up some truly devastating sweeps using a slew of powerful moves at its disposal.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinion of the writer.
What is the best moveset for Excadrill in Pokemon Sword and Shield?
Excadrill not only possesses devastating attack but also an acceptable speed stat. The general plan with Excadrill is to buff up its attack before using its decently wide type coverage to sweep through the enemy team. Overall, Excadrill is a flexible option that most players can pick up and use easily.
This moveset is designed for players in a casual playthrough, with a small note at the end for a possible alternative set:
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rock Slide
Earthquake is a terrifying weapon in the hands of Excadrill. With its crippling attack stat, a self-buff from Swords Dance, and STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Earthquake is sure to bring down even the hardiest of opponents.
Iron Head is a decently powerful move with 80 base power and 100% accuracy. It pales in comparison to Earthquake, but against Pokemon that resist Ground-type moves, Iron Head is a perfectly acceptable substitute. The 30% flinch chance (should the opposing Pokemon survive) doesn't hurt either.
Swords Dance is here for obvious reasons. Players can take advantage of Excadrill's defensive typing to set up a Swords Dance or two before decimating the enemy in a single straight sweep. This strategy works well enough with Mold Breaker, but it really shines with Sand Rush on a sandstorm team since it's difficult to outspeed a Pokemon whose already significant speed has been doubled.
Rock Slide is the fourth move on this list simply for type coverage. While Mold Breaker can handle abilities, it still doesn't negate Ground's inability to hit Flying-type Pokemon. Rock Slide handily deals with Flying-types and Bug-types as well as anything else that Iron Head and Earthquake can't deal with.
An alternative strategy would be to take Toxic over Swords Dance and Stealth Rock over Rock Slide. This makes Excadrill into a set-up Pokemon that opponents still have to be wary of due to the sheer power of Earthquake.
Mold Breaker allows Excadrill to poison Pokemon that would normally be unable to be poisoned thanks to abilities like Immunity and Leaf Guard. Meanwhile, Sand Rush lets Excadrill use these moves before the opponent has a chance to try and take Excadrill out.
