Bombirdier, the Item Drop Pokémon. It gathers things up in an apron made from shed feathers added to the Pokémon's chest feathers, then drops those things from high places for fun. Bombirdier uses the apron on its chest to bundle up food, which it carries back to its nest. It enjoys dropping things that make loud noises.

Overview

The Open Sky Titan, Bombirdier made a large impression in game with its rock throwing antics. Antics that translate well over to battling with its signature Rocky Payload ability, effectively giving Bombirdier STAB on its Rock attacks, without the many downsides of being a Rock type. Add the already offensively potent Flying and Dark STABs and there are few Pokémon that can safely resist Bombirdier’s varied assault, even before getting into the nightmare that is STAB Knock Off. Knock Off is not all Bombirdier is packing for support either, with excellent disruptive options in Stealth Rock, Tailwind, Taunt, U-Turn and Parting Shot being at Bombirdier’s disposal. The rare Parting Shot is quite the prize and with Bombirdier’s two immunities it has no problems hopping in and out of battle to harry the opponent.

Bombirdier just wishes it had the stats to back up the potential of its movepool. While Base 103 Attack isn’t unviable, after generations of power creep it is rather underwhelming, especially with only Hone Claws or Curse to make up the difference. Base 82 Speed is also unimpressive, while getting the jump on most defensive staples it doesn’t get all of them, to say nothing of offensive threats. The latter becomes especially stark when looking at Bombirdier’s defensive profile. 85 in both defenses could be good if invested, especially with Roost, but that is let down by an unimpressive base 70 HP. Flying Dark does little to help this either. While the immunities are nice, common weaknesses to Ice, Electric, Fairy and Stealth Rock greatly limit Bombirdier’s staying power. While Bombirdier has the tools to deliver great things, its shortcomings in every area hold it back.
Positives
Fantastic movepool with powerful options for all three of its STABs, and plenty of support, disruption and pivoting.
Rocky Payload is an incredible ability, giving Bombirdier Rock STAB with none of Rock’s many weaknesses.
Flying Dark provides Bombirdier incredible STABs with wide coverage and helpful immunities and resistances for pivoting in.

Negatives
Flying Dark also provides a litany of common weaknesses that make it easy to compromise if not remove Bombirdier.
Base 103 Attack falls short without boosting and Bombirdier sorely misses the Swords Dance that would make it viable.
70/85/85 defenses require investment for some semblance of bulk.
Base 82 Speed is unimpressive, leaving Bombirdier exposed to most offensive threats.

Movesets

Speed Stall Sweeper Sovereign

-Knock Off
-Brave Bird
-Stone Edge
-Parting Shot
Ability: Rocky Payload
Item: Heavy-Duty Boots
EVs and Nature:
252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Offensive Bombirdier makes great use of its wide coverage and excellent disruptive tools to open holes in opposing teams for its allies to exploit. STAB Knock Off does most of the heavy lifting, being an exceptionally strong attack for Bombirdier that few Pokémon, even resists, like switching into for fear of losing their item. Brave Bird compliments Knock Off quite well, obliterating Dark resistant Fighting types while dealing serious damage to Fairy and opposing Dark types like Florges, Grimmsnarl, and Skunktank. Stone Edge adds valuable STAB coverage, especially against the likes of Rotom-Heat, Arcanine, and Hisuian-Avalugg. Parting Shot rounds out the set, pairing exceptionally well with Knock Off in turning Bombirdier into an offensive setup piece. The ability to pivot out and compromise a Pokémon both defensively and offensively between the two moves is invaluable in forcibly creating setup opportunities for Bombirdier’s teammates.

Tera Types:
Flying Dark being such a mixed bag defensively can raise the question of whether it is right to Terastalize Bombirdier. The immunities and resists provided from both types are invaluable in allowing Bombirdier to pivot in and out, making it questionable whether to Tera or just have Bombirdier switch, especially if running Parting Shot or U-Turn. However, the extra damage provided by Terastalization cannot be ignored. Tera Dark is by far the most popular, turning Bombirdier’s Knock Off into a terrifying tool nearly 2HKOing targets as bulky as Orthworm meaning Bombirdier is ripping huge chunks out of everything with Knock Off on top of the item disruption. Tera Dark removing Bombirdier’s far more problematic Ice, Electric and Rock weaknesses makes it far more attractive as the offensive defensive option of choice. Tera Flying isn’t too far behind given the sheer power of Brave Bird to begin with, securing the OHKO on the Paldean-Tauros breeds through Intimidate as well as Rotom-Mow on top of removing Bombirdier’s Flying weakness and giving it true Fighting and Bug resistances. Tera Rock is a purely offensive option, though given how it stacks with Rocky Payload is worth the consideration, allowing Bombirdier to all but always 2HKO Max HP and Defense Avalugg.

EVs and Items:
As with many offensive Pokémon, Max Speed and Attack are recommended for Bombirdier to outspeed as many targets as possible while dealing the most damage. Whether one wants to go for Adamant or Jolly is up to preference. With Jolly, Bombrdier speed ties with fellow Tatsugiri, while outrunning Adamant Skunktank and Timid Florges, Smeargle, Mesprit and Venusaur. Heavy-Duty Boots is recommended as the item due to the presence of Parting Shot and is generally recommended when Bombirdier is running that or U-Turn so it doesn’t get shredded by Stealth Rocks with constant pivioting. Black Glasses also works for these sets given the low cost boost to Knock Off and Sucker Punch it provides. Choice Scarf can also work for such sets as a balm to Bombirdier’s underwhelming Speed, but makes it that much harder for Bombirdier to flexibly disrupt or support.

Partners:
: Given Bombirdier’s lack of direct power for breaking through bulky walls, Special Attacking partners are preferred to help it break through such foes. Though, it is not as necessary as with other attackers given how common physical walls such as Rhydon, and Hisuian-Qwillfish want nothing to do with Bombirdier due to their reliance on Knock Off. However, other walls like Hisuian-Avalugg (post Terastalization) and Regirock are truly immovable without aid. Given how most of these are Rock type, Water and Grass types make for good partners in removing such threats. Venusaur is an excellent example, given its great longevity with Giga Drain and Synthesis allowing it to pivot in repeatedly while also dealing with threatening Electric and Fairy type attackers like the Rotom forms and Scarf Florges. Milotic also does well, reliably pivoting into Ice Attacks and crippling physical attackers with Scald and can pair well with Stealth Rock variants thanks to Dragon Tail to rack up extra damage. Hoopa is a more traditional wallbreaker thanks to its fantastic Special Attack but loves Bombirdier for its ability to absorb Ghost and Dark attacks.

Other Options:
Sucker Punch is STAB priority and does answer Bombirdier’s speed, but can be played around. Stealth Rock is another strong option if unable to deal damage or Knock Off an item, allowing Bombirdier to continue making progress. Rock Blast is a niche, but attractive option for breaking through opposing Substitutes and Focus Sashes. Tailwind is another method Bombirdier can answer its speed while providing the same boost to its allies. U-Turn is a great option, especially on Choice sets allowing Bombirdier to chip targets as it scouts for switches. Taunt is a fantastic disruptive tool that makes it difficult for walls to stave off Bombirdier.

Doubles and VGC Options

Bombirdier’s struggles in Doubles very much mirror its tribulations in Singles. Bombirdier possesses an embarrassment of support and disruptive options that most Pokémon would kill for including the always excellent Knock Off, the rare Parting Shot, Tailwind, and Taunt. Rocky Payload granting pseudo-STAB on Rock Slide may be the real prize, granting access to a damaging spread move with good flinch chance and coverage that can flip battles around. Dark typing also ensures that these moves cannot be shutdown by Prankster Taunt. Sadly, none of Bombirdier’s stats back it up in this regard. Base 82 Speed sits in the middle of the pack of many support Pokémon meaning even under Tailwind, Bombirdier still has to be fearful of opposing Tailwind, to say nothing of other Speed control methods. For a Pokémon you want to be spamming Rock Slide, base 103 Attack is unimpressive, to say nothing of Bombirdier’s vulnerability to Intimidate users sapping its power. While the bulk can be good in Doubles if invested in, Bombirdier’s common weaknesses hold it back. While Bombirdier’s many failings have it struggle to make an impact even in the lowest power formats, its bounty of tools makes it a curiosity nonetheless.

Special Delivery

-Knock Off
-Rock Slide
-Acrobatics
-Sucker Punch
Ability: Rocky Payload
Item: Room Service
Tera Type: Rock
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature

Based on a Day 2 Vancouver 2024 team, this Bombirdier set is meant to be used on in Trick Room, using Room Service to sink its Speed for a rather unorthodox Trick Room attacker. Knock Off is still a staple on this set, its power being decent in Bombirdier’s wings and the item disruption just as devastating in Doubles as in Singles, removing vital protective items like Assault Vest, Clear Amulet, Covert Cloak, Safety Goggles and more. Rick Slide is one of the other main reasons to use Bombirdier in Doubles, being how Bombirdier is effectively a STAB user of the move without boasting a weaknesses to two thirds of the Grass Fire Water cores found on many teams. Bombirdier can threaten staple members of such cores thanks to Rock Slide and Acrobatics such as Arcanine, Incineroar, Rillaboom, Tauros-Aqua, Tauros-Blaze, Amoonguss, etc. Acrobatics pairs wonderfully with Room Service, allowing Bombirdier to fire full power Flying STABs after having its Speed sunk. Sucker Punch rounds out the set, giving Bombirdier a STAB priority option, vital for when it is caught out of Trick Room allowing Bombirdier to provide some offensive pressure.

Due to this set meaning to excel in Trick Room, investing in HP and Attack is recommended. The former gives Bombirdier significant staying power while the latter is in service of patching up its poor attack. While Bombirdier is valuable for being an unorthodox Rock Slide user, the Terastalization boost is vital in spreading around damage, generally doing about half to Max HP Incineroar after Intimidate.

Preferred Partners:
As this set is meant to excel in Trick Room, such setters are a must. Thankfully the predominantly Psychic and Ghost setters do appreciate Bombirdier for being a soft pivot into opposing Dark and Psychic attacks. Hatterene is a good partner given its good matchup into opposing Dark types thanks to its Fairy STAB that Bombirdier can sometimes struggle with due to their resisting Knock Off while possessing Magic Bounce to deny a predicted anti-Trick Room Amoonguss Spore. Mimikyu is similar, barring Magic Bounce, in return for being extremely reliable in Trick Room setup. Farigiraf always deserves a mention due to Armor Tail blocking opposing priority, preventing opponents from stalling out Trick Room with Fake Out cycling. As this Bombirdier set lacks direct answers to bulky Steel and Tera Steel types like Archaludon, Dondozo, this will need to be addressed by its teammates. Torkoal and Ursaluna are both Trick Room staples that easily obliterate opposing Steel types, allowing Bombirdier to Rock Slide with that much more impunity. If not running Room Service, Brave Bird is recommended for Flying STAB given its excellent power, though the recoil deeply cuts into Bombirdier’s bulk. Protect is the best attack in Doubles for the endless utility it provides, stalling for allied setup, stalling out detrimental field conditions, blocking Fake Out, scouting for Terastalization, and more. Tailwind and Parting Shot are excellent support options Bombirdier has though neither fit well with Trick Room.

Countering Bombirdier

While Bombirdier’s stats are rather lacking, its plethora of disruptive tools make it a frustrating opponent nonetheless.

Defensively checking offensive sets would in theory be easy enough, very few defensive Pokémon like losing their item to Knock Off. Hisuian Avalugg is probably the best, as though it doesn’t like losing its Heavy-Duty Boots, it is only 2HKO’d by the rare Tera Rock Stone Edge and OHKO’s with ease with either of its STABs or near OHKO Body Press against a Terastalized Bombirdier. Alolan-Sandslash loses a lot of longevity by losing its Leftovers but otherwise threatens a clean OHKO with Triple Axel. Regirock loathes losing its Leftovers, though also reliably walls off Bombirdier while threatening a quick OHKO in turn. Mudsale can win a grind game against offensive Bombirdier thanks to Stamina boosting its Defense and Body Presses but too loathes losing its Leftovers.

Offensively checking Bombirdier in theory should be simple due to its many weaknesses and unimpressive speed, though both offensive and defensive sets offer their own wrinkles. Offensive sets can turn the tables on any faster attackers with Sucker Punch, requiring good physical bulk or a Dark resistance to hold up. Scarf Florges, Pawmot, Sneasel, Alolan-Ninetales and Dazzling Bruxish, all outspeed and OHKO offensive sets. Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Mow can be 2HKO’d by Tera Dark Sucker Punch, but if healthy can soak one attack before striking back. Banded Intimidate Arcanine only gets 3HKOd by Sucker Punch but can OHKO with its STABs or 2HKO with Extreme Speed. Defensive sets, while easier to outspeed without the looming threat of Sucker Punch, can be even more annoying given Bombirdier’s longevity with Roost and tendency to run away with Parting Shot. Thankfully, thanks to the increase in bulk, Bombirdier is much easier to outspeed. Sneasel, and Pawmot can still OHKO Specially Defensive Bombirdier, while Banded Grimmsnarl, Hitmontop Specs Florges, and Minior are now all able to outspeed and OHKO.

Ironically for all Bombirdier’s own antics in controlling the hazard game with Knocking Off Heavy-Duty Boots and setting up Stealth Rocks, it is vulnerable to the same tactics, with Stealth Rocks greatly limiting the number of times Bombirdier can come in and deal damage.

Anime Appearences

Bombirdier has made some appearances in the anime. In it, it stole some metal from Tinkatink in Kitakami # -English Episode Name- -Jp. Episode Name- Pics 70 Tinkatink's Hammer Wasn't Made in a Day Tinkatink's Hammer Was Not Built In A Day! Pics 123 TBC Shock and Horrors! Mochi Mayhem on the Ship Pics