Taillow

A mirror image of its brethren Swellow, Taillow makes a fantastic sweeper after Guts is activated by the appropriate Orb, and its naturally high Speed. Protect is used on the first turn to activate Taillow's Orb effect, and from there, use the appropriate sweeping attack. The choice between Toxic Orb and Flame Orb is a matter of how long you think Taillow will be around. Flame Orb deals more damage for the first 2 rounds, but In 3 turns, the damage caused by both the poison or the burn is the same. From there, Toxic Orb does more damage, although by that time Taillow is likely under 50% HP from residual damage from Stealth Rock and Brave Bird recoil.

An odd-numbered HP stat is recommended for Taillow so that it can switch into Stealth Rock with less damage. 252 Attack and Speed are the standard for maximum attacking potential, and are recommended because of Taillow's lacking defenses, and would become of very little use after added up residual damage.

A set that suffers less residual damage than the first set, this Taillow works better if you can manage to switch into Toxic or Will-O-Wisp from a foe. Double-Edge provides more immediate power than Return, but because Taillow must only use one attack, switching is nearly inevidable, and if Stealth Rock is up, and you cannot rid of it in time, the residual damage from Stealth Rock and Double-Edge can lead to an untimely end for Taillow, which a switch to Return can somewhat remedy. Quick Attack ensures you can attack Scarf Quilava in UU, and with residual Stealth Rock damage, can lead to a OHKO before it gets the chance to attack you. However, if you are using this set in UU, and unless you greatly fear Voltorb outspeeding and KO'ing Taillow with Thunderbolt, Steel Wing is recommended because the priority that Quick Attack gives is not necessary for the most part, as the only Pokemon that can outspeed Taillow are Murkrow, Diglett, the aforementioned Voltorb and Unburden Petaya Drifloon. The first 2 can always use Sucker Punch to outspeed you regardless of if you have Quick Attack, while Drifloon is unaffected by it. Taillow is tied with Aipom, Buizel, Glameow, Staryu and Wingull in UU, but the first three can always attack Taillow with a priority move of their own.

With this set, it is more important to ensure Taillow has an odd-numbered HP stat, especially if you opt for Return over Double-Edge. It will ensure you can switch into Stealth Rock 4 times before being KO'ed. Taillow is likely to switch out more than once because of being restrained to one attack, while U-Turn requires such to occur.

Yet another mirror set of Swellow, although Taillow does not have the luxury of learning Baton Pass. Still, this set provides the same HP-cutting Endeavor + priority strategy as its older brother. Substitute is used to whittle Taillow's HP down to 1 HP, and then Endeavor + Quick Attack is used to KO the opponent. If the opponent doesn't retaliate with a priority attack-user, it is possible to use Endeavor again, and get the foe's HP low enough for another teammate to finish it off. With the correct prediction, Whirlwind can provide an Endeavor attack against 3 of your opponents' Pokemon. By Substituting down to around 1/4 HP, most players opt to switch their Pokemon out for a priority attack-user. On the switch, one can use Endeavor to attack the opponents' switch-in, and assuming Taillow is faster, and a Pokemon such as Gastly, Kabuto or Omanyte isn't used, can finish it off with Quick Attack. Taillow will be at around 26% HP at this point, so it's important that Quick Attack has enough power to deal enough damage. This can take down your opponents' potential counter for Taillow, but Return is an option if you don't want to jeopardize the prediction turn.

As with all other sets, an odd-numbered HP stat is needed both for Stealth Rock damage, and now in this set, Substitute damage.